bobsville.com music videos, movies, history videos, TV shows, adventure videos - RSS Feedhttp://bobsville.com
Great video entertainment at bobsville.com, famous battles, ancient civilizations, famous disasters, great discoveries, great empires, famous people, voyages of discovery, great music, great locations, great stories, great collectionsAncient Empires - First Citieshttp://bobsville.com/ancient-empires-first-cities_61f80f646.html

After thousands of years as a hunter/gatherer, man built the first cities 5000 years ago on the banks of the Euphrates in Southern Iraq. Civilization began. City life .

]]>Wed, 16 Aug 2017 11:23:54 -0700Ancient Empires - First Cities&lt;![CDATA[&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eR_ck8AuXVY/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEXCPYBEIoBSFryq4qpAwkIARUAAIhCGAE=&rs=AOn4CLC4qBwwU3BZJMHZOw7xwCH0tB8ohg" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;After thousands of years as a hunter/gatherer, man built the first cities 5000 years ago on the banks of the Euphrates in Southern Iraq. Civilization began. City life .&lt;/p&gt;]]&gt;http://bobsville.com/ancient-empires-first-cities_61f80f646.htmlBattle for Marawihttp://bobsville.com/battle-for-marawi_e035ef50f.html

n May 23, 2017 two militant groups, Maute and Abu Sayaf, took the city of Marawi. Aby Sayyaf has been terrorizing the Philippines for 20 years. It was joined by another local group, founded by the Maute brothers, in 2012. They are both determined to fight for an independent Islamic state in the Philippines. The attack by Maute and its allies on the island of Mindanao is the biggest warning yet that ISIS (also known as Islamic State) is building a base in Southeast Asia.

The Philippines government has introduced martial law in Mindanao province. Officials were convinced they would recapture the city within weeks. But the counter-terror operation against ISIS fighters has now been on-going for three months. In an effort to oust the terrorists from the city, the Army deployed 3,000 troops. So far, 122 soldiers and 528 militants have been killed, according to the Philippine Army.

An RTD Documentary team spent a week in the city and witnessed scenes similar to the sieges of Aleppo in Syria and Iraq's Mosul, eventualities until now unknown in Southeast Asia. All roads to Marawi are closed. Heavily armed policemen and soldiers search everyone entering the city.

Our crew joined Philippine’s soldiers and rescue teams during raids across the city. Soldiers battle ISIS-linked gunmen on the streets and search for arms caches, while rescue teams inspect abandoned apartments looking for trapped civillians. Many survivors have endured a week without tap water and electricity.

SUBSCRIBE TO RTD Channel to get documentaries firsthand! http://bit.ly/1MgFbVy

]]>Wed, 16 Aug 2017 07:52:11 -0700Battle for Marawi&lt;![CDATA[&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q7GlQUbck6k/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEXCPYBEIoBSFryq4qpAwkIARUAAIhCGAE=&rs=AOn4CLCGjs91r8cBXkgN-M7P4oxQh6J5sw" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;n May 23, 2017 two militant groups, Maute and Abu Sayaf, took the city of Marawi. Aby Sayyaf has been terrorizing the Philippines for 20 years. It was joined by another local group, founded by the Maute brothers, in 2012. They are both determined to fight for an independent Islamic state in the Philippines. The attack by Maute and its allies on the island of Mindanao is the biggest warning yet that ISIS (also known as Islamic State) is building a base in Southeast Asia. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Philippines government has introduced martial law in Mindanao province. Officials were convinced they would recapture the city within weeks. But the counter-terror operation against ISIS fighters has now been on-going for three months. In an effort to oust the terrorists from the city, the Army deployed 3,000 troops. So far, 122 soldiers and 528 militants have been killed, according to the Philippine Army.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; An RTD Documentary team spent a week in the city and witnessed scenes similar to the sieges of Aleppo in Syria and Iraq's Mosul, eventualities until now unknown in Southeast Asia. All roads to Marawi are closed. Heavily armed policemen and soldiers search everyone entering the city. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Our crew joined Philippine&rsquo;s soldiers and rescue teams during raids across the city. Soldiers battle ISIS-linked gunmen on the streets and search for arms caches, while rescue teams inspect abandoned apartments looking for trapped civillians. Many survivors have endured a week without tap water and electricity.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; SUBSCRIBE TO RTD Channel to get documentaries firsthand! http://bit.ly/1MgFbVy&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; FOLLOW US&lt;br /&gt; RTD WEBSITE: https://RTD.rt.com/&lt;br /&gt; RTD ON TWITTER: http://twitter.com/RT_DOC&lt;br /&gt; RTD ON FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/RTDocumentary&lt;br /&gt; RTD ON DAILYMOTION http://www.dailymotion.com/rt_doc&lt;br /&gt; RTD ON INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/rtd_documentary_channel/&lt;br /&gt; RTD LIVE https://rtd.rt.com/on-air/&lt;/p&gt;]]&gt;http://bobsville.com/battle-for-marawi_e035ef50f.htmlThe 13th Warriorhttp://bobsville.com/the-13th-warrior_7d5d2ca90.html

A band of Viking merchants are on the Volga River trading with the Volga Bulgars, their chief dies, a ship comes to their camp after the funeral seeking warriors to go on a great quest to save a small principality in the North from a great evil. 12 of the Vikings and the Arab ambassador to Volga Bulgaria (Antonio Banderas) decides to go with the warriors as the 13th warrior. A great movie with lots of action.

Starring: Antonio Banderas, Diane Venora, Dennis Storhøi

]]>Mon, 17 Jul 2017 11:29:34 -0700The 13th Warrior&lt;![CDATA[&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zwBS9cgcc5U/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEXCPYBEIoBSFryq4qpAwkIARUAAIhCGAE=&rs=AOn4CLCwOW9f-v1GILjxWfF3EMLc_XwcBQ" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A band of Viking merchants are on the Volga River trading&nbsp;with the Volga Bulgars, their chief dies, a ship comes to their camp after the funeral seeking warriors to go on a great quest &nbsp;to save a small principality in the North from a great evil. 12 of the&nbsp;Vikings and the Arab ambassador to Volga Bulgaria (Antonio Banderas) decides to go with the warriors as the 13th warrior. A great movie with lots of action.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Starring: Antonio Banderas, Diane Venora, Dennis Storh&oslash;i&lt;/p&gt;]]&gt;http://bobsville.com/the-13th-warrior_7d5d2ca90.htmlJulius Caesarhttp://bobsville.com/julius-caesar-2002_9a0e05856.html

Good movie, although as usual Pompei and Caesar, just like in their own time get all the credit while Marcus Crassus gets no mention whatsoever. Caesar would have been a nobody without Crassus' pocket book. Crassus is the one who paid for Caesar's political campaigning. Caesar never would have become counsul without him. He is the one that put down the Spartican revolt, not Pompei and he deserves some recognition.

]]>Mon, 17 Jul 2017 11:01:17 -0700Julius Caesar&lt;![CDATA[&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-APF0-L14kw/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEXCPYBEIoBSFryq4qpAwkIARUAAIhCGAE=&rs=AOn4CLAD6-Q4za7f4mJ0psBUPI47KMXBKA" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Good movie, although as usual Pompei and Caesar, just like in their own time get all the credit while Marcus Crassus gets no mention whatsoever. Caesar would have been a nobody without Crassus' pocket book. Crassus is the one who paid for Caesar's political campaigning. Caesar never would have become counsul without him. He is the one that put down the Spartican revolt, not Pompei and he deserves some recognition.&lt;/p&gt;]]&gt;http://bobsville.com/julius-caesar-2002_9a0e05856.htmlPersian Empire Documentaryhttp://bobsville.com/ancient-history-persian-empire-documentary_fae7358a2.html

Drawing on historical and archaeological evidence, this fascinating documentary by Dr. Farzin Rezaeian reconstructs 7,000 years of Iranian history.

Rezaeian has reconstructed the major monuments from seven key periods in Iranian history, bringing to life the settings in which Iranian civilization developed and the context through which the greatest figures of Iranian history, from Cyrus the Great (the Achaemenid Emperor) to Shah Abbas (the Safavid King), can be understood Farzin Rezaeian is an award-winning documentary and educational film producer and director.

For the past twenty years, he has researched and written for many educational and documentary films that he has produced or directed at Sunrise Film Productions.

]]>Mon, 17 Jul 2017 10:17:00 -0700Persian Empire Documentary&lt;![CDATA[&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FKFMo3eB82o/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEXCPYBEIoBSFryq4qpAwkIARUAAIhCGAE=&rs=AOn4CLCPbxbd4i_8SLyxcBu33iDr4SV9Hg" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Drawing on historical and archaeological evidence, this fascinating documentary by Dr. Farzin Rezaeian reconstructs 7,000 years of Iranian history.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The film's advanced animation techniques bring ancient wonders to life, giving an unprecedented look at Iran's historical and cultural achievements.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Rezaeian has reconstructed the major monuments from seven key periods in Iranian history, bringing to life the settings in which Iranian civilization developed and the context through which the greatest figures of Iranian history, from Cyrus the Great (the Achaemenid Emperor) to Shah Abbas (the Safavid King), can be understood Farzin Rezaeian is an award-winning documentary and educational film producer and director.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; For the past twenty years, he has researched and written for many educational and documentary films that he has produced or directed at Sunrise Film Productions.&lt;/p&gt;]]&gt;http://bobsville.com/ancient-history-persian-empire-documentary_fae7358a2.htmlThe Origin and Evolution Of Plumbinghttp://bobsville.com/the-origin-and-evolution-of-plumbing_97360c439.html

The Origin Evolution Of Plumbing - Geographic History.

Plumbing originated during ancient civilizations such as the Greek, Roman, Persian, Indian, and Chinese cities as they developed public baths and needed to provide potable water and wastewater removal, for larger numbers of people. Standardized earthen plumbing pipes with broad flanges making use of asphalt for preventing leakages appeared in the urban settlements of the Indus Valley Civilization by 2700 B.C. The Romans used lead pipe inscriptions to prevent water theft.

]]>Mon, 17 Jul 2017 09:41:59 -0700The Origin and Evolution Of Plumbing&lt;![CDATA[&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nhkxD6bD2AY/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEXCPYBEIoBSFryq4qpAwkIARUAAIhCGAE=&rs=AOn4CLBfDu61SQ5kHEIxRgBw12O--t4Dlw" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Origin &nbsp;Evolution Of Plumbing - Geographic History.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Plumbing originated during ancient civilizations such as the Greek, Roman, Persian, Indian, and Chinese cities as they developed public baths and needed to provide potable water and wastewater removal, for larger numbers of people. Standardized earthen plumbing pipes with broad flanges making use of asphalt for preventing leakages appeared in the urban settlements of the Indus Valley Civilization by 2700 B.C. The Romans used lead pipe inscriptions to prevent water theft.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;]]&gt;http://bobsville.com/the-origin-and-evolution-of-plumbing_97360c439.htmlHistory Of The Khazar Peoplehttp://bobsville.com/history-of-the-khazar-people_fe40740bb.html

The Khazars (Greek: Χ?ζαροι, Hebrew: ?????? (Kuzarim), Turkish: Hazarlar, Tatar: Xäzärlär, Arabic: ???‎ (khazar), Russian: ??????, Persian: ???‎,Latin: Gazari[/Cosri /Gasani]) were a semi-nomadic Turkic people who created what for its duration was the most powerful polity to emerge from the breakup of the western Turkish steppe empire, known as the Khazar Khanate or Khazaria. Astride a major artery of commerce between northern Europe and southwestern Asia, Khazaria became one of the foremost trading emporia of the medieval world, commanding the western marches of the Silk Road and played a key commercial role as a crossroad between China, the Middle East, and European Russia. For some three centuries (c. 650--965) the Khazars dominated the vast area extending from the Volga-Don steppes to the eastern Crimea and the northern Caucasus

Khazaria long served as a buffer state between the Byzantine empire and both the nomads of the northern steppes and the Umayyad empire, after serving as Byzantium's proxy against the Sassanid Persian empire. The alliance was dropped around 900 CE., as Byzantium began to encourage the Alans to attack Khazaria and weaken its hold on Crimea and the Caucasus, while seeking to obtain an entente with the rising Rus' power to Khazaria's north, which it aspired to convert to Christianity. Between 965 and 969, the Kievan Rus ruler Sviatoslav I of Kiev conquered the capital Atil and destroyed the Khazar state.

Beginning in the 8th century, Khazar royalty and notable segments of the aristocracy converted to Judaism; the populace appears to have been multi-confessional—a mosaic of pagan, Tengrist, Jewish, Christian and Muslim worshippers—and polyethnic. A modern theory, that the core of Ashkenazi Jewry emerged from a hypothetical Khazarian Jewish diaspora, is now viewed with scepticism by most scholars, but occasionally supported by others. This Khazarian hypothesis is sometimes associated with antisemitism and anti-Zionism.

Gyula Németh, following Zoltán Gombocz, derived Xazar from a hypothetical *Qasar reflecting a Turkic root qaz- ("to ramble, to roam") being an hypothetical velar variant of Common Turkic kez-. With the publication of the fragmentary Tes and Terkhin inscriptions of the Uy?ur empire (744-840) where the form 'Qasar' is attested, though uncertainty remains whether this represents a personal or tribal name, gradually other hypotheses emerged. Louis Bazin derived it from Turkic qas- ("tyrannize, oppress, terrorize") on the basis of its phonetic similarity to the Uy?ur tribal name, Qasar. András Róna-Tas connects it with Kesar, the Pahlavi transcription of the Roman title Caesar.

D.M.Dunlop tried to link the Chinese term for "Khazars" to one of the tribal names of the Uy?ur Toquz O?uz, namely the Gésà. The objections are that Uy?ur Gesa/Qasar was not a tribal name but rather the surname of the chief of the Sikari tribe of the Toquz O?uz, and that in Middle Chinese the ethnonym "Khazars", always prefaced with the word T?jué signifying 'Türk' (T?jué K?sà bù:?????; T?jué Hésà:????), is transcribed with different characters than that used to render the Qa- in the Uy?ur word 'Qasar'. After their conversion it is reported that they adopted the Hebrew script,[24] and it is likely that, though speaking a Türkic language, the Khazar chancellery under Judaism probably corresponded in Hebrew.Tribal origins and early history

The tribes[26] constituting the Khazar union were, according to the most widely approved view, basically Turkic groups, such as the O?uric peoples, including Šara?urs, O?urs, Ono?urs, and Bul?ars, who formed part of the Ti?lè (??) confederation. These tribes, many driven out of their homelands by the Sabirs, who in turn fled the Asian Avars, began to flow into the Volga-Caspian-Pontic zone from as early as the 4th century CE and are recorded by Priscus to reside in the Western Eurasian steppelands as early as 463. They appear to stem from Mongolia and South Siberia in the aftermath of the fall of the Hunnic/Xi?ngnú nomadic polities. A variegated tribal federation led by these T?rks, probably comprising a complex assortment of Iranian, proto-Mongolic, Uralic, and Palaeo-Siberian clans, vanquished the Rouran Khaganate of the hegemonic central Asian Avars in 552 and swept westwards, taking in their train other steppe nomads and peoples from the Sogdian kingdom.

]]>Thu, 23 Apr 2015 12:35:15 -0700History Of The Khazar People&lt;![CDATA[&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ORz2nOcOTyQ/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEXCPYBEIoBSFryq4qpAwkIARUAAIhCGAE=&rs=AOn4CLDQeolE30-0rkp_HNDNHfV68f72Fg" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Khazars (Greek: &Chi;?&zeta;&alpha;&rho;&omicron;&iota;, Hebrew: ?????? (Kuzarim), Turkish: Hazarlar, Tatar: X&auml;z&auml;rl&auml;r, Arabic: ???&lrm; (khazar), Russian: ??????, Persian: ???&lrm;,Latin: Gazari[/Cosri /Gasani]) were a semi-nomadic Turkic people who created what for its duration was the most powerful polity to emerge from the breakup of the western Turkish steppe empire, known as the Khazar Khanate or Khazaria. Astride a major artery of commerce between northern Europe and southwestern Asia, Khazaria became one of the foremost trading emporia of the medieval world, commanding the western marches of the Silk Road and played a key commercial role as a crossroad between China, the Middle East, and European Russia. For some three centuries (c. 650--965) the Khazars dominated the vast area extending from the Volga-Don steppes to the eastern Crimea and the northern Caucasus&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Khazaria long served as a buffer state between the Byzantine empire and both the nomads of the northern steppes and the Umayyad empire, after serving as Byzantium's proxy against the Sassanid Persian empire. The alliance was dropped around 900 CE., as Byzantium began to encourage the Alans to attack Khazaria and weaken its hold on Crimea and the Caucasus, while seeking to obtain an entente with the rising Rus' power to Khazaria's north, which it aspired to convert to Christianity. Between 965 and 969, the Kievan Rus ruler Sviatoslav I of Kiev conquered the capital Atil and destroyed the Khazar state.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Beginning in the 8th century, Khazar royalty and notable segments of the aristocracy converted to Judaism; the populace appears to have been multi-confessional&mdash;a mosaic of pagan, Tengrist, Jewish, Christian and Muslim worshippers&mdash;and polyethnic. A modern theory, that the core of Ashkenazi Jewry emerged from a hypothetical Khazarian Jewish diaspora, is now viewed with scepticism by most scholars, but occasionally supported by others. This Khazarian hypothesis is sometimes associated with antisemitism and anti-Zionism.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Gyula N&eacute;meth, following Zolt&aacute;n Gombocz, derived Xazar from a hypothetical *Qasar reflecting a Turkic root qaz- ("to ramble, to roam") being an hypothetical velar variant of Common Turkic kez-. With the publication of the fragmentary Tes and Terkhin inscriptions of the Uy?ur empire (744-840) where the form 'Qasar' is attested, though uncertainty remains whether this represents a personal or tribal name, gradually other hypotheses emerged. Louis Bazin derived it from Turkic qas- ("tyrannize, oppress, terrorize") on the basis of its phonetic similarity to the Uy?ur tribal name, Qasar. Andr&aacute;s R&oacute;na-Tas connects it with Kesar, the Pahlavi transcription of the Roman title Caesar.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;D.M.Dunlop tried to link the Chinese term for "Khazars" to one of the tribal names of the Uy?ur Toquz O?uz, namely the G&eacute;s&agrave;. The objections are that Uy?ur Gesa/Qasar was not a tribal name but rather the surname of the chief of the Sikari tribe of the Toquz O?uz, and that in Middle Chinese the ethnonym "Khazars", always prefaced with the word T?ju&eacute; signifying 'T&uuml;rk' (T?ju&eacute; K?s&agrave; b&ugrave;:?????; T?ju&eacute; H&eacute;s&agrave;:????), is transcribed with different characters than that used to render the Qa- in the Uy?ur word 'Qasar'. After their conversion it is reported that they adopted the Hebrew script,[24] and it is likely that, though speaking a T&uuml;rkic language, the Khazar chancellery under Judaism probably corresponded in Hebrew.&lt;br /&gt;Tribal origins and early history&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The tribes[26] constituting the Khazar union were, according to the most widely approved view, basically Turkic groups, such as the O?uric peoples, including &Scaron;ara?urs, O?urs, Ono?urs, and Bul?ars, who formed part of the Ti?l&egrave; (??) confederation. These tribes, many driven out of their homelands by the Sabirs, who in turn fled the Asian Avars, began to flow into the Volga-Caspian-Pontic zone from as early as the 4th century CE and are recorded by Priscus to reside in the Western Eurasian steppelands as early as 463. They appear to stem from Mongolia and South Siberia in the aftermath of the fall of the Hunnic/Xi?ngn&uacute; nomadic polities. A variegated tribal federation led by these T?rks, probably comprising a complex assortment of Iranian, proto-Mongolic, Uralic, and Palaeo-Siberian clans, vanquished the Rouran Khaganate of the hegemonic central Asian Avars in 552 and swept westwards, taking in their train other steppe nomads and peoples from the Sogdian kingdom.&lt;/p&gt;]]&gt;http://bobsville.com/history-of-the-khazar-people_fe40740bb.htmlTop Ten Natural Disastershttp://bobsville.com/top-ten-natural-disasters_54f7ad7da.html

Top 10 Natural Disasters, BBC Documentary

Throughout History there has always been great natural disasters, floods, great storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and landslides. Some of these disasters have changed the course of History,

In the vast steppes of Siberia, where winter lasts ten months we meet three unique races that will show their wandering life and survival techniques in this inhospitable environment . Alongside Tansendaryá we\\\'ll see that an itinerant camp consists of works gers , traditional Mongolian tents and an intense activity including training horses, herding goats and camels husbandry is organized.

In the Taiga, under boreal forest we\\\'ll find Tsaatan people, whose lives are closely tied to reindeer husbandry. Their presence in these forests is in danger because the structure of its closed society, where inbreeding has caused the deterioration to their kind.

We also will approach a thriving village of itinerant Kazakh farmers, they are also expert falconers, which will give us the opportunity to closely observe the breathtaking hunts of huge eagles with two meter wingspan and seven kilos of weight.

]]>Wed, 22 Apr 2015 23:49:36 -0700The Heirs of Genghis Khan&lt;![CDATA[&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/e4CWB7FsV6w/mqdefault.jpg" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the vast steppes of Siberia, where winter lasts ten months we meet three unique races that will show their wandering life and survival techniques in this inhospitable environment . Alongside Tansendary&aacute; we\\\'ll see that an itinerant camp consists of works gers , traditional Mongolian tents and an intense activity including training horses, herding goats and camels husbandry is organized.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the Taiga, under boreal forest we\\\'ll find Tsaatan people, whose lives are closely tied to reindeer husbandry. Their presence in these forests is in danger because the structure of its closed society, where inbreeding has caused the deterioration to their kind.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We also will approach a thriving village of itinerant Kazakh farmers, they are also expert falconers, which will give us the opportunity to closely observe the breathtaking hunts of huge eagles with two meter wingspan and seven kilos of weight.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;]]&gt;http://bobsville.com/the-heirs-of-genghis-khan_58cda7f03.htmlShaka Zuluhttp://bobsville.com/shaka-zulu-part-1_05491f85f.html

Shaka Zulu A historical accurate movie about the life of the Zulu king, Shaka kaSenzangakhona.

Take a behind the scenes peek into the lives of liner crew members and discover the pleasures of a life spent on the river or sea.The Volga on the Route to Astrakhan on board the Dimitri Fourmanov

]]>Wed, 28 Jan 2015 20:12:31 -0800Volga River Cruise to Astrakhan&lt;![CDATA[&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/JpoUWBMdqaY/mqdefault.jpg" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Take a behind the scenes peek into the lives of liner crew members and discover the pleasures of a life spent on the river or sea.&lt;br /&gt;The Volga on the Route to Astrakhan on board the Dimitri Fourmanov&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;]]&gt;http://bobsville.com/volga-river-cruise-to-astrakhan_e0cd35f4c.htmlCape Town to Victoria Falls by Trainhttp://bobsville.com/cape-town-to-victoria-falls-by-train_24b0d5646.html

Great Railway Journeys - Michael Wood travels from Cape Town through the Karoo, Botswana, Bulawayo, Wankie (now Hwange), to the Victoria Falls. [Produced in 1979}

On August 21st, 2011, I was given the opportunity by a good friend of mine to ride the Feather River Express from Portola to Davis, California.

The Feather River Express is a train comprised of various private rail cars. The private car I was on is called the Silver Splendor and is owned by LA Rail. The Silver Splendor was originally built in 1956 by the Budd Company. The car was created for the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railway and ran from Chicago to Denver on the California Zephyr service. The original name for this car was the "Silver Buckle" but that was changed once it entered private ownership. The car can seat a total of 60 people. The car consists of lower level table seating, lower level lounge seating, and dome car seating. Every seat in the Silver Splendor is extremely comfortable and offers a great view of the passing scene. It is definitely a first class experience. To learn more about the Silver Splendor or to view future public trips, visit these sites. You surely won't be disappointed riding in this level of luxury.

The scenery along this trip was incredible. Shortly after departing Portola, the train was snaking along the North Fork of the Feather River providing incredible scenes of the canyon below. Soon after we were soaring high above the mountains on the Clio Trestle. Quickly after we again found the train winding along the river. The mountains and river made for incredible scenery all the way down to Oroville. Along the Feather River Route, the scenery is only second to the impressive railroad infrastructure you pass along the way. The highlights of this route are the Clio Trestle, Williams Loop, the world famous Keddie Wye, Honeymoon Tunnel, the double bridges at Tobin and Pulga, Northfork Bridge, Highway 70 Bridge, James Horsehoe, as well as many other bridges and tunnels along the route. It really is amazing how a railroad could have ever been built through this section of land.

Here are some photos from this trip:http://www.flickr.com/photos/amtrakdavis22/sets/72157627593984119/

This is the greatest train trip I have ever taken. I would like to thanks my friend and coach Mike. Without him, none of this would have happened. I would also like to thank Jon and Heidi for allowing me to experience their rail car first hand. I also owe a special thanks to the car attendants Ken and Yorkman for making my ride so enjoyable. Great train and great people made this an unforgettable journey.

So sit back and enjoy a true American Railroading experience!

]]>Sun, 11 Jan 2015 06:52:44 -0800Train Ride on the Feather River Express&lt;![CDATA[&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/l5uB0IsuSQ4/mqdefault.jpg" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;On August 21st, 2011, I was given the opportunity by a good friend of mine to ride the Feather River Express from Portola to Davis, California. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Feather River Express is a train comprised of various private rail cars. The private car I was on is called the Silver Splendor and is owned by LA Rail. The Silver Splendor was originally built in 1956 by the Budd Company. The car was created for the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railway and ran from Chicago to Denver on the California Zephyr service. The original name for this car was the "Silver Buckle" but that was changed once it entered private ownership. The car can seat a total of 60 people. The car consists of lower level table seating, lower level lounge seating, and dome car seating. Every seat in the Silver Splendor is extremely comfortable and offers a great view of the passing scene. It is definitely a first class experience. To learn more about the Silver Splendor or to view future public trips, visit these sites. You surely won't be disappointed riding in this level of luxury. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The scenery along this trip was incredible. Shortly after departing Portola, the train was snaking along the North Fork of the Feather River providing incredible scenes of the canyon below. Soon after we were soaring high above the mountains on the Clio Trestle. Quickly after we again found the train winding along the river. The mountains and river made for incredible scenery all the way down to Oroville. Along the Feather River Route, the scenery is only second to the impressive railroad infrastructure you pass along the way. The highlights of this route are the Clio Trestle, Williams Loop, the world famous Keddie Wye, Honeymoon Tunnel, the double bridges at Tobin and Pulga, Northfork Bridge, Highway 70 Bridge, James Horsehoe, as well as many other bridges and tunnels along the route. It really is amazing how a railroad could have ever been built through this section of land. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Here are some photos from this trip:&lt;br /&gt;http://www.flickr.com/photos/amtrakdavis22/sets/72157627593984119/&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This is the greatest train trip I have ever taken. I would like to thanks my friend and coach Mike. Without him, none of this would have happened. I would also like to thank Jon and Heidi for allowing me to experience their rail car first hand. I also owe a special thanks to the car attendants Ken and Yorkman for making my ride so enjoyable. Great train and great people made this an unforgettable journey. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So sit back and enjoy a true American Railroading experience!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;]]&gt;http://bobsville.com/train-ride-on-the-feather-river-express_8de9f30b9.htmlMuslim Magomaev - Ave Mariahttp://bobsville.com/muslim-magomaev-ave-maria-video_5076b01c7.html

The audio is the famous baritone opera star, Muslim Magomaev, singing Ave Maria by Shubert.

The video is a series of paintings called "the Virgins" all painted In the 14th Century.

The story is set in Ukraine, part of lands of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland of the 17th century during the Khmelnytsky Uprising 1648-51.

A Cossack uprising led by Bohdan Khmelnytsky aimed at reclaiming control of Ukraine from the hands of Polish nobles. Historic events form a framework for an action- and character-driven plot, and fictional characters mingle with historic ones.

]]>Sun, 26 Oct 2014 20:15:57 -0700Bohdan Khmelnytsky&lt;![CDATA[&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/QfR1pCUGTYc/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEXCPYBEIoBSFryq4qpAwkIARUAAIhCGAE=&rs=AOn4CLCj5914OQEfwBq1KiM5WWzBALsZ6w" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In Polish, English subtitles.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A great story with plenty of action, and top actors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The story is set in Ukraine, part of lands of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland of the 17th century during the Khmelnytsky Uprising 1648-51.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A Cossack uprising led by Bohdan Khmelnytsky aimed at reclaiming control of Ukraine from the hands of Polish nobles. Historic events form a framework for an action- and character-driven plot, and fictional characters mingle with historic ones.&lt;/p&gt;]]&gt;http://bobsville.com/with-fire-and-sword-movie_c3204918c.htmlEngineering An Empire - Chinahttp://bobsville.com/engineering-an-empire-china-video_1c477655a.html

The history of China goes back to the ancient civilization – one of the world's earliest – that flourished in the fertile basin of the Yellow River in the North China Plain. For millennia, China's political system was based on hereditary monarchies, known as dynasties, beginning with the semi-mythological Xia of the Yellow River basin (c. 2000 BCE). Since 221 BCE, when the Qin Dynasty first conquered several states to form a Chinese empire, the country has expanded, fractured and been reformed numerous times. The Republic of China (ROC) overthrew the last dynasty in 1911, and ruled the Chinese mainland until 1949. After the defeat of the Empire of Japan in World War II, the Communist Party defeated the nationalist Kuomintang in mainland China and established the People's Republic of China in Beijing on 1 October 1949, while the Kuomintang relocated the ROC government to its present capital of Taipei.

]]>Sun, 26 Oct 2014 08:16:03 -0700Engineering An Empire - China&lt;![CDATA[&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Qsd05kjnayM/mqdefault.jpg" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The history of China goes back to the ancient civilization &ndash; one of the world's earliest &ndash; that flourished in the fertile basin of the Yellow River in the North China Plain. For millennia, China's political system was based on hereditary monarchies, known as dynasties, beginning with the semi-mythological Xia of the Yellow River basin (c. 2000 BCE). Since 221 BCE, when the Qin Dynasty first conquered several states to form a Chinese empire, the country has expanded, fractured and been reformed numerous times. The Republic of China (ROC) overthrew the last dynasty in 1911, and ruled the Chinese mainland until 1949. After the defeat of the Empire of Japan in World War II, the Communist Party defeated the nationalist Kuomintang in mainland China and established the People's Republic of China in Beijing on 1 October 1949, while the Kuomintang relocated the ROC government to its present capital of Taipei.&lt;/p&gt;]]&gt;http://bobsville.com/engineering-an-empire-china-video_1c477655a.htmlAncient Warriors - Legions of Romehttp://bobsville.com/ancient-warriors-legions-of-rome_18802447d.html

This Ancient Warriors series from the Discovery Channel is an excellent look at the warrior groups and armies that shaped history.Each half-hour episode looks at a major fighting people or force and charts the reasons for their rise to dominance and subsequent fall.The warriors highlighted in this video are the of Roman Legionnaires.There are 20 episodes and almost all include re-enactors hacking and slashing at each other with great abandon. Some are better than others but, overall, the series is first-rate.The scripting is good, filled with interesting detail, and each program follows one soldier and his life in the army. Not all of them end happily, it has to be said.People who are interested in warfare throughout the ages - or the specific warrior groups themselves - will appreciate this series.

]]>Sun, 12 Oct 2014 07:02:33 -0700Ancient Warriors - Legions of Rome&lt;![CDATA[&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vezkey6sJ6w/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEXCPYBEIoBSFryq4qpAwkIARUAAIhCGAE=&rs=AOn4CLCXP42adDpxmyZzKh3H1Oxx7O6-Sw" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Discovery Channel Ancient Warriors - Legions of Rome (History Documentary)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This Ancient Warriors series from the Discovery Channel is an excellent look at the warrior groups and armies that shaped history.&lt;br /&gt;Each half-hour episode looks at a major fighting people or force and charts the reasons for their rise to dominance and subsequent fall.&lt;br /&gt;The warriors highlighted in this video are the of Roman Legionnaires.&lt;br /&gt;There are 20 episodes and almost all include re-enactors hacking and slashing at each other with great abandon. Some are better than others but, overall, the series is first-rate.&lt;br /&gt;The scripting is good, filled with interesting detail, and each program follows one soldier and his life in the army. Not all of them end happily, it has to be said.&lt;br /&gt;People who are interested in warfare throughout the ages - or the specific warrior groups themselves - will appreciate this series.&lt;/p&gt;]]&gt;http://bobsville.com/ancient-warriors-legions-of-rome_18802447d.htmlGaza-Israel War.- July 2014http://bobsville.com/gaza-israel-war-july-2014_1eb666127.html

The IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) began their current operation against Hamas after three teens were kidnapped and killed. The military op has already claimed over 1,500 civilian lives in Gaza. The fragile humanitarian ceasefires end within minutes of creation pushing the region into further bloodshed.

]]>Fri, 05 Sep 2014 06:44:12 -0700Gaza-Israel War.- July 2014&lt;![CDATA[&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/xRaXUZhkFs8/mqdefault.jpg" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) began their current operation against Hamas after three teens were kidnapped and killed. The military op has already claimed over 1,500 civilian lives in Gaza. The fragile humanitarian ceasefires end within minutes of creation pushing the region into further bloodshed.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A Russia Today video from the Russian point of view..&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Russia Today is a global news network broadcasting from Moscow and Washington DC studios.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://rt.com/" target="_blank"&gt;Click here&lt;/a&gt; for Russia Today web site.&lt;/p&gt;]]&gt;http://bobsville.com/gaza-israel-war-july-2014_1eb666127.htmlChernobyl Disasterhttp://bobsville.com/chernobyl-disaster_0f3d7891f.html

Excellent BBC docudrama with Adrian Edmondson at his finest. Maybe there are some gaps in the timeline and a little technical sensationalism but that being said, very good overall for one hour. I was skeptical that Ade would be a good match for Valeri Legasov, but he is simply the best role I've ever seen him in.

]]>Sun, 31 Aug 2014 09:17:09 -0700Chernobyl Disaster&lt;![CDATA[&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/njTQaUCk4KY/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEXCPYBEIoBSFryq4qpAwkIARUAAIhCGAE=&rs=AOn4CLC16HWzCX--bqoFjo08ETu7frzNmg" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Excellent BBC docudrama with Adrian Edmondson at his finest. Maybe there are some gaps in the timeline and a little technical sensationalism but that being said, very good overall for one hour. I was skeptical that Ade would be a good match for Valeri Legasov, but he is simply the best role I've ever seen him in.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;]]&gt;http://bobsville.com/chernobyl-disaster_0f3d7891f.htmlWar in Georgia 2008http://bobsville.com/war-in-georgia-2008_61ca50e1c.html

A Russia Today video mostly about the Georgia-Ossetia War of 2008 from the Russian point of view..

Russia Today's Oksana Boyko tells the story of the Georgia-Ossetia War of 2008. Meet the people affected by the offensive and the theater that Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili created and how his act was perceived by the world. And hear the recollections of Dmitri Medvedev about the biggest challenge he faced during his tenure as President of Russia.

]]>Tue, 19 Aug 2014 08:50:31 -0700War in Georgia 2008&lt;![CDATA[&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/t2D2iKzSXIk/mqdefault.jpg" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A Russia Today video mostly about the Georgia-Ossetia War of 2008 from the Russian point of view..&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Russia Today's Oksana Boyko tells the story of the Georgia-Ossetia War of 2008. Meet the people affected by the offensive and the theater that Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili created and how his act was perceived by the world. And hear the recollections of Dmitri Medvedev about the biggest challenge he faced during his tenure as President of Russia.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Russia Today is a global news network broadcasting from Moscow and Washington DC studios.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://rt.com/" target="_blank"&gt;Click here&lt;/a&gt; for Russia Today web site&lt;/p&gt;]]&gt;http://bobsville.com/war-in-georgia-2008_61ca50e1c.html